I just bought a 2013 Ram 1500 5.7l hemi crew cab 4X4 with 72000 miles on it. When I bought it everything was fine. I've drove 1200 miles and the problems have really started to show themselves. I hope they are all interlinked and it will not be the bad lifter and cam issue. I will list off the issues/symptoms in the order I noticed them.


-Rpm tachometer started fluttering in all gears and speed (little concerned but wanted to do a tune up before concerned to much)


-Started to hear a tick noise when starting up (figured it was the tick that I have read about when cold or maybe an exhaughts leak)


-Started to vibrate around 75 mph (figured tires needed clean it had rained a lot and maybe mud build up.


-Radio began to get louder when on highway and quieter when slowing down


-Voltmeter and speedometer started to fluctuate in all gears and speeds (tested battery and alternator both passed)


-Began to bog down when not on the throttle and seemed to not have power unless Rpms were atleast 3k Seemed like it was in 4 wheel drive but is not.


-Vibrations started at all speeds (not in the steering wheel but in the seats)


-Started to have steering issues and when I hit a bump sometimes it throws the truck across the lane


-Began to make a noise that sounds almost like a low tire or if I were driving on the shoulder just not as loud


I'm sure I'm forgetting something however my concern is that a lifter has eaten away at the cam and caused the vibration and power issues possibly the electrical also. With that maybe the typical steering/control issues that come with our trucks. I hope someone can point me somewhere besides the motor I don't want to replace/rebuild and without having to completely look over everything. (Which I understand is a good thing to do anyways but I can't right now) This all happened within a 10 day period. Tire pressures are good, air filter ok I will replace soon but it's not that bad, fluid levels are good, fluids all look/smell/feel normal, no check engine light, no messages, and nothing is getting to hot or not hot enough. Oil pressure at idle is 35 at 70mph it is at 56. At idle my volt meter reads 13 but fluctuates about 1-1.5v most of the time.


Thank you for any help I get. I really like dodges and really like this truck but I need to figure this out as it is getting worse every time I drive it.

 

Seems like you have a lot going on there. Personally I would guess your over thinking too much.
You dont mention any error codes?
Hemis do have a valvetrain tick. Sometimes more so on a cold engine or one that hasnt ran for a few days. My experience with a worn cam and lifters is that the tick will get worse. It will be there all the time and it will turn on the MIL. You may have a slight loss of power and it may feel sluggish.
With most of the issues your describing I would guess to start with electrical.

 

Several of the concerns sound like they may all be due to a misfire that may be too random to trigger a check engine light and diagnostic code. Do you know if the truck has had a tune up recently?

The radio changing volume with speed may be a feature called something like Speed Sensitive Volume. There's usually a sensitivity setting in the audio system settings to make the curve more or less drastic.

For the last three items on the list, I know you say the tire pressures are all good, but did you set them to the inflation on the tire sidewall or the inflation on the tire placcard? Try rotating the wheels and tires to see if the handling characteristics change.

-Rod

 

Thanks for the replies. There are no codes present and I have the tires inflated to 40psi which is what the tires say. I would have to double check but I believe that is what the placard suggest also. I have replaced the air filter and changed the oil. I've also ran seafoam fuel system cleaner through. I need to replace the spark plugs and I may just get a new set of tires. I hate buying used vehicles just because I don't know all the information that I personally would like to know (last time up etc).

As an update I may have found the issue. I started the truck yesterday and it fired up then died. I am going to drop the tank this weekend and make sure its clean and check on the fuel pump.